Tag affixing mechanism



Dec. 30, 1941. F. KOHNLE 2,268,406

TAG AFFIXING MECHANISM Filed Sept. '7, 1940 s Shets-Sheet 1 'mvirorz. Y

(MMAM ATTORNEY.

F. KOHNLE Dec. 30, 1941.

TAG AFFIXING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. '7, 1940 INVENTOR.

W TTORNEY5 Dec. '30, 1941. F, OHNLE 2,268,406

TAG AFFIXING MECHANISM Filed Sept. '7, 1940' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N VENTOR.

40 9 P M MATTORNEYJ Patented Dec. 30, 1941 TAG AFFIXING MECHANISM Frederick Kohnle, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Monarch Marking System Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application December 11, 1939, Serial No.

308,605. Divided and this application September 7, 1940, Serial No. 355,834

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a mechanism for controlling the cycle of operation of a price tag afiixing machine of the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 308,605, filed December 11, 1939, of which this application is divisional. This type of machine usually feeds a strip of tickets to the environment of a printing head where the respective tickets are printed, severed from the strip, and then delivered to a Point for attachment to merchandise. The attaching mechanism of the machine is effective for driving a straight pin through the ticket and merchandise and bending and directing the pin so that the point is imbedded in the ticket. The machine is power driven and the motor runs constantly while the mechanism is in use. A clutch is provided to couple the motor with the printing and attaching mechanism. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a tripper l'ever mechanism which is installed at the front of the machine and adapted to control this clutch to effect one complete cycle of operation of the machine, suificient for attaching a single ticket.

It has been an object of the present inventor to provide a control mechanism for effecting an operating cycle of a price tag affixing machine, which mechanism comprises a depressible tripper lever, and to mount the lever at the front of the machine in such manner that it is easily operated with either hand, or both hands, while holding the merchandise in position to be tagged.

The primary object has been to attain, through use of the tripper lever speed and ease of operation of the machine. Also, but without sacrificing either speed or ease, the present inventor has constructed and incorporated the tripper lever in such manner that it may be utilized with complete safety. When the tag is pinned to the merchandise, a' forming plunger, under the influence of a strong driving force, moves upwardly to press the tag between it and an upper guide for the pin. The inventor has provided the tripper lever with a broad contact pad and has so positioned it with respect to the plunger that the operator must have his fingers out of the path of movement of the plunger before he can depress the tripper.

Thus, it has been a further object to provide a depressible tripper lever having an operating pad of large area immediately adjacent the point of delivery of the tags so that this tripper is conveniently actuated in the motion of placing the merchandise in position for attachment of the 'the machine is mounted on a base l0.

tags thereto without danger of injuring the operators hands.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a price tag printing machine embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view illustrating the tripper lever and its connection to the throw-out clutch as they appear from the side.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the tripper assembly and clutch.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary View of the opposite face of the clutch shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side view of the tripper mechanism with the clutch engaged.

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken on line 1-1 of Figure 6 showing the clutch in engaged position.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 6 showing the clutch pawl in detail.

Figure 9 is a sectional View taken on line 9--9 of Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that An electric motor ll, controlled by a switch, indicated at I2, is mounted on a support l3. The motor shaft extends into and drives a transmission contained in a unit It. From here, the drive proceeds, at right angles, to the front of the machine through a main shaft l5 which has its forward end journalled in a bearing IS in the frame element H.

A series of cams are fixed on this shaft for actuating the ticket feeding, printing, severing and pinning mechanisms of the machine. Since the present invention is not concerned with these parts, it is believed unnecessary to describe them in detail. These parts are arranged so that one revolution of the main drive shaft I5 constitutes one complete cycle of the machine, sufficient for printing and attaching one ticket. For an understanding of the manner in which they work, Kohnle patent, No. 1,667,810, may be considered.

A throw-out clutch, indicated generally at [8, i mounted on the drive shaft l5 between the first cam of the machine and the unit I 4. A pawlcarrying disc I9 is secured to the drive shaft by a pin 20 which passes through a hub 2| extending toward the front of the machine (Figure 9). A

hub 22, having clutch teeth 23 is fastened on a driven sleeve 24 adjacent the disc H) on the side toward the unit It. The sleeve 24 is driven from the transmission, being journalled on the drive shaft.

The clutch is controlled by the depressible tripper element, indicated generally at 21. The lever is pivoted between its ends on a pin 28 carried on a plate 29 secured to the frame at the front of the machine. The lower end of the lever is pivotally connected to the forward end of a link 33 by means of a pin or bolt 3|. The link 30 extends rearwardly and has an upwardly extended arm 32 rigidly attached to the rear end thereof. The upper end of the arm is bent at right angles and is bifurcated to straddle a clutch throw-out finger 33. The finger is pivoted at its lower end on a bolt secured to the frame of the machine (Figure 4). The upper end of the finger is normally urged against the forward face of the pawl-carrying disc 13 near the edge thereof by means of a spring 34 which is connected between the frame and the link 30. A pin 35 carried by the plate 29 cooperates with a slot 35 in the link 33 to guide and limit the movement of the link.

- The upper end of the finger 33 is inclined as at 31 to provide a cam face adapted to be engaged, when against the pawl-carrying disc, by a pin 38 extending forwardly from the pawl through a slot 39 in the disc. The pawl is normally urged by a spring as into engagement with the clutch teeth 23. Accordingly, when the tripper lever is not depressed, the finger will intercept the pin 38 and hold the pawl out of the clutch teeth 23. When the tripper is depressed, the finger is moved away from the disc, out of the path of the pin, and the pawl carried by the disc is urged by the spring 43 into engagement with the clutch teeth, and a full rotation of the cam drive shaft is initiated. If the tripper is held down, the rotation will continue, but when released, the finger will stop the cam shaft at the end of a complete rotation. The throw-out action of the finger can be seen from a study of Figures 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it is seen that the upper end of the tripper lever at the front of the machine is configurated to present a broad contacting pad extending well beyond either side of the plunger 4|. Preferably, the top edge of the pad is situated below the operating head of the plunger when the plunger is in its down position. In most instances, this type of machine is operated by one who is not acquainted with mechanics, such as a stock clerk or a sales person. Thus, this arrangement provides a desirable safety feature in that an inexperienced operator can not actuate the tripper accidentally by pushing his hand into the tripper above the plunger.

In operation, the tripper lever disclosed here greatly increases the potential output of machines incorporating it. First of all, the operator can place the merchandise to be marked in position to be tagged and trip the lever in one motion; secondly, the operator does not have to worry about getting his fingers caught in the pinning mechanism; and thirdly, the operator can hold the merchandise taut between both hands, while tripping the lever, so that the ta is pinned accurately and securely to the merchandise. Also, when relatively stiff pieces of merchandise are being tagged, the machine can be operated with only one hand.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a tag printing and attaching machine, a support adapted to receive the mechandise to be tagged, means for delivering a tag to said support, means for driving a pin through the merchandise and tag, power means for driving said tag delivering and attaching means, a clutch in said power means, a tripper lever pivoted 0n the front of the machine directly in back of the support and extending at both sides thereof, said tripper lever having an operating portion of large area, and means between the tripper lever and clutch for starting a cycle of operation for attaching a singletag each time the tripper lever is depressed.

2. In a price tag aillxin'g machine of the type incorporating a plunger adapted to cooperate with a pin guiding and inserting mechanism to pin price tags onto merchandise, and a clutch adapted to effect one complete cycle of Operation of the machine, sufficient for attaching a single ticket; a tripper lever for controlling said clutch, said lever including 'a. pad disposed behind and below said plunger in a. substantially vertical position and extending beyond both sides thereof, said pad adapted to be engaged by the operators hands in the motion of placing merchandise in position to 'be tagged for starting a cycle of operation.

3. In a price tag attaching machine, a tripping mechanism adapted to control the operation of the machine, said machine including a vertically reciprocable plunger upon which the merchandise is engaged and the ticket attached, said tripping mechanism including a lever, a clutch, and means connecting the lever and clutch, said lever including an operating pad disposed ina vertical position behind the plunger and extending well beyond either :side thereof, whereby the lever may be tripped from either side while the merchandise is being held upon the plunger.

4. A tripping mechanism for use in controlling the operation of a tag aflixing plunger, said mechanism including, a clutch controlling the drive to the plunger, and an operating lever connectedto said clutch, said lever mounted on a horizontal axis and having an actuating portion of broad area disposed in back of the plunger, said portion extending well beyond either side of the plunger and adapted to be operated from either side of the plunger.

FREDERICK KOHNLE. 

